The Darkest Curse & The Purest of Magic
by E. GoldSwan X
Summary: He thought he was the only one who knew. He was wrong. Dorian Gray had a dark secrect he thought that no one knew about. But that was not exactly true for there was someone else who knew about the painting and how it had become intertwined with his life. She could have saved him but a soul once tainted by evil can never be pure again. And some curses just cannot be broken.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own the characters or the plot of the original book by Oscar Wilde, all the credits go to its author who created it. This story is actually based on the movie (2009), I don't even remember whether I read the book before.

 _ **Chapter 1 - The past is catching up**_

 _ **Present Day**_

"Come on, Ellie, hurry up or I'm gonna be late!" the shorter of the two girls shouted over her shoulder at her best friend as she had set up an incredibly quick pace fueled by her excitement.

"You should have told me that by 'coming to the bookstore' you had actually meant we were taking a jogging lesson!" the other girl scoffed, a scowl marring her naturally pretty face.

That made her friend stop abruptly and turn around, a curtain of her long blond hair flying across her back to the right side. She took a notice of Ellie's slightly annoyed features and offered her an apologetic smile. "We're almost there." Aileen said enthusiastically.

"Look," Ellie spoke up, breathing rather heavily, "I'd very much like to witness your amazing debut tomorrow but I can only manage if I won't die due to a heartattack today."

Both the girls laughed after that and resumed their track to Foyles, the world-famous London bookshop, where Aileen was supposed to attend a reading session the next day at the opportunity of publishing her first novel which had unexpectedly become a bestseller. She had got a call from Mr. Parker a week ago and had been asked to arrive a day prior to the session so they could have discussed the arrangements and details.

"I still can't believe it." the tiny blonde girl had tittered before she walked into the store with her best friend in tow.

She had been to this shop many times before but she always marveled at how huge and spacious it was. It had several floors, each of them containing a countless number of bookshelves filled with books of various genres and languages. It was truly magnificent and for now, Aileen felt to be a part of it. She politely asked the shop assistant to be shown to Mr. Parker's office and flashed Ellie a sheepish grin as she set to follow the young boy to the back of the shop.

Mr. Parker was a man in his fifties, elegant and sophisticated and very nice. They only talked for about fifteen minutes, setting out the arrangements for the session in detail and Aileen had a good impression of the man as well as of tomorrow's event. Everything was perfect and nothing could go wrong.

Aileen walked out of Mr. Parker's office door and strode back to the front of the store where Ellie was waiting for her. She was just passing a massive table with a huge cartbox poster next to it when she caught a glimpse of something which made her head turn to give it a better look. As the girl turned around, she froze at place. There was a young man staring back at her from the cartbox picture, he was clad as a knight or a warrior with a sword pointed at her but that was not what had made her feel intimidated. It was his face which seemed extremely familiar but it couldn't have been.. or could have?

Aileen stepped closer, her hand almost itched as she felt an urge to reach out and touch the face but she was not able to do a single move, instead she watched with horror as the picture in front of her began to change. At first it seemed to go aflame and then the young man's face transformed into one of a horrid, ugly monster which resembled a very old man with skin torned at places, revealing the rotten flesh of unhealthy colour underneath, half of his face was practically missing, there was still some of grayish hair left on his head and falling around his shoulders ridiculously, his lips were cut and almost torn apart so she could see the carious teeth or rather the rest of them. But his eyes were more or less in tact, piercing through her like a pair of daggers.

"Dorian." she whispered under her breath.

The girl was too consumed in her vision to notice her friend approach so when Ellie grabbed her shoulder, Aileen literally jumped away from her spot, clutching right hand to her heart.

"Are you alright?" Ellie asked her with a deep concern. "You've been staring at the poster for a good couple of minutes, had it been a second longer it might as well come alive!"

"I.. uh, I'm sorry, it's just.." Aileen stuttered uncertainly, still in a light shock.

"Just what? In love with prince Caspian, are we?" Ellie teased her friend playfully, nudging her arm.

"What?" Aileen replied with a confused frown on her face.

"That guy. It's prince Caspian from the latest Narnia film, haven't you heard?" Ellie's voice carried a rather incredulous tone.

"Um.. no. I actually read the book and I was imagining Caspian as a kind of fourteen-year old boy with blond hair." Aileen said simply and shrugged.

"Gods! I can imagine the crowds of girls attacking the cinemas because of some small kid boy! Of course they had to make some necessary amendments!" Ellie explained vigorously, gesturing towards the poster with her hands. "Well, he's not exactly my type but you must admit that he looks good."

"Yes, he does." Aileen muttered quietly, eyeing the young man's face.

Of course he did look good, he was as handsome as she remembered him. At that time all the girls and women in London had grovelled at his feet, including herself. But she had watched him die, how was it possible that he was now staring at her from some kind of paperbox picture? She needed to figure this out.

"Hey, look! There's gonna be a reading session with the film's cast tomorrow as well! Right after yours, it seems!" Ellie exclaimed excitedly as she read through the information on the leaflet which she had snatched from the table.

"What?!" Aileen felt a bit stricken by this news, did it mean that they might actually meet? Did she want to meet him? Would he remember her? Did she want him to remember? Dammit!

"Whoa, whoa! It seems you're gonna meet your prince tomorrow!" Ellie told her in a singsong voice, handing her the leaflet. "His name is Ben Barnes. I mean the actor who has portrayed the prince." and she winked playfully at her friend.

Aileen fleetingly overlooked the small piece of paper with her eyes, making a brief pause at his name. Ben Barnes. Was it the name he went by now? Well, she had also used to change her surename but she had always kept her first name for it was who she was after all. Well, maybe it was good there was a possibility of their meeting tomorrow, maybe she would get a chance to figure it all out.

"Come on, you lovestruck! You promised me an extra ice-cream, you remember?" Ellie chuckled and grabbed her friend's arm, dragging her out of the book store.

 _ **Spring, 1895**_

"You look very pretty today, my darling girl." a mother spoke tenderly to her ten-year old daughter while braiding her silkily soft blond hair. The girl had an angelic face with bright green eyes and full pink lips. She truly did look pretty.

"Wait. It's still missing something." the woman said, overlooking her work. She pulled out one of the vanity's drawers containing a stock of ribbons and took a particularly wide and beautifully decorated pink one. "Here, now it is going to be perfect."

"Thank you, mommy." the girl had beamed at her mother before taking a moment to admire herself in the mirror.

"Today Mr. Gray is coming and we want to show him we are the best caretakers he could have ever wished for. I don't need to remind you to behave, now do I, my darling?" the woman said firmly but still gently enough.

"I understand, mommy." the girl answered and nodded respectfully.

"Very well, Aileen. Now let's go to check if everything is ready and in order. We want to make him feel like home." the woman smiled at her daughter and beckoned to the girl as to follow her.

In the afternoon they could finally hear the knocks on the front door. Dorian Gray, their new landlord, had arrived.

"Miranda, he is here." a man with light brown hair and a beard informed his wife.

"Alright. Where is Aileen? Charles, haven't you seen her?" the woman asked, slightly annoyed. The girl simply had to make troubles.

Her parents had no idea that she was spying on the newcomer from the window in a room situated in the west wing of the house. She wanted to look him over before they would meet face to face. From what she saw she could tell he was a young man of age between twenty and twenty-five, tall and with dark hair reaching his shoulders. He wore a hat so she wasn't able to see his face which somehow irritated her. She huffed as she watched him walk inside and sprinted to the entrance hall where her parents were already greeting him.

Her mother spotted her and gave her a scolding look.

"Oh, and this is our daughter Aileen, Mr. Gray." she introduced the girl who slowly approached.

Aileen watched as he took off his hat and revealed his face for her. She was about to gasp but at that very moment she was frozen at place and lost the ability to speak, move and even think. His face was strikingly beautiful, with soft lines, warm chocolate eyes and luscious lips, and she found it very hard to remove her eyes from him.

"Hello, little one. I am Dorian." he said and grinned at her, offering her a hand to shake.

She shook her head slightly to recover from her reverie and took his hand, giving it a small shake. "Nice to meet you, I am Aileen."

"The pleasure is all mine, young lady." Dorian's grin grew wider and he bowed his head to kiss the knuckles of her hand.

The girl blushed profusely at his manners and lowered her head, making a small curtsy.

"I hope we can become friends." Dorian remarked in a hopeful voice.

"That would be nice." Aileen beamed at him, offering a wide grin of her own.

"She is still a child, Mr. Gray. But I assure you, she will not be a bother to you." Miranda uttered resolutely, ushering the young man further into the house with her husband following close.

Aileen stood at the same spot, only turned around and looked as her parents drew Dorian further inside, fussing over him as to prove that they were indeed the best caretakers he could have ever wished for. For a little girl such as herself, he was a prince Charming of her childish dreams and she would have never believed that her dream might have actually come true one day. But it seemed that today was the day.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: First of all, I am really sorry it has taken me forever to post this update but we were in a process of moving into a new apartment and having two restless kids around had made the task quite a challenge. I promise to try my best and keep the updates more frequent from now on. Next will be Aileen meeting Ben (finally) and Sibyl ;-)

 ** _Chapter 2 - A Stormy_** **_Bo_** ** _nd_**

 ** _Present Day_**

Aileen sighed as she closed her laptop and put it aside, resting her head against the wall. She had spent the whole evening holed up in her room, googling and searching up as much information about this Ben Barnes as she could possibly find. She had learnt about his origins and parents, about the beginnings of his career and earlier projects. From what she knew he was a talented actor and obviously a singer too. She also had studied his pictures and after the several hours of her research she was sure of one thing, he was not Dorian Gray. But the one prickly question was still remaining unanswered. Why the hell did he look like Dorian's identical twin?

The girl got up from her bed and moved to the window which was currently being lashed by a heavy rain. She put her forefinger on the glass and traced down one of the many streams that the pouring water had created. Her head was throbbing with the lot of thoughts running through her mind like wild horses. Aileen had come up with two theories as of why this guy might look so awfully just like Dorian and she didn't like either of them. Another loud sigh escaped her mouth, leaving a misted mark on the window glass.

The black night sky was suddenly brightened by the flash of lightning, soon followed by a rumble of a thunder. Aileen instinctively stepped away from the window and hugged herself, slowly rubbing her arms now covered with goosebumps. She detested storms.

Her feet carried her out of the room and to the kitchen. With the storm picking up outside Aileen had no desire to go to sleep, it would be pointless, she knew she would not be able to drift off. Instead she had made herself a cup of camomile tea and was just about to go back to her room when Ellie stepped in.

"Hey, are you feeling better now?" Ellie asked her with a genuine concern.

"Hmm. I think so." Aileen mumbled, she felt a little bit guilty for lying to her friend about herself not feeling good earlier that evening. She simply had needed an excuse to get to a privacy of her room and start her research.

"I think it's just the nerves." the tall girl remarked thoughtfully and smiled down at her. "But don't fret, Leeney, you'll do great tomorrow. I know it."

"Thank you, Ellie. You know, for being my friend and all." Aileen gave her a smile of her own. She wished to be able to tell her just how much she appreciated her friendship, especially when she was not used to make friends ever since she had been abandoned by the one who had promised to be always by her side. Empty words and fake promises, that was all what this kind of relationship was about for her. Until she had met Ellie. This pretty girl with big brown eyes and chestnut hair which cascaded down past her shoulders in soft waves. Her odd sense of humour and sarcastic tongue had immediately attracted Aileen's attention. She was her true soul mate who always seemed to know how to cheer her up, supported her dark moods and willingly participated on her occasional depressions.

"Oh come on, I know it's hard sometimes to put up with me. I'm glad you still do." Ellie confessed as she grabbed her own cup of tea and followed Aileen over to the couch.

Both the girls decided to occupy the opposite ends of the sofa with their legs tucked beneath themselves, slowly sipping their tea while facing each other. Another loud crash of a thunder almost shook the very house's foundations, making the young ladies curse and swear very unladylikely.

"That bloody storm is really starting to piss me off." Ellie growled angrily with her head turned towards the window.

"When I was a child, I always felt terribly frightened that I sometimes jumped out of my bed and got stuffed under it with closed eyes and hands covering my ears. But at one particular night I heard my friend play the piano and I enjoyed how its soft tones contrasted with the harsh noises from outside. Ever since that time he used to play the piano for me whenever the storm arrived." Aileen spoke up with a distant look on her face while she shared one of her precious childhood memories what she did very rarely, if at all.

"Sounds nice. What was his name?" Ellie asked curiously.

Aileen felt slightly taken aback by the question but chose to tell the truth, "Dorian."

"Dorian? Like Dorian Gray? From your novel?" Ellie shifted excitedly in her spot on the couch. "I believe you said the characters had been all just made up."

The tiny girl stayed silent for a moment, gazing into the half-empty mug. "I'm sorry I wasn't completely honest with you. But.." Aileen let the words trail off. She had no clue how to explain herself anyway. There was no way she could tell the whole truth and she didn't want to tell any more lies.

"What happened to him? Where is he now?" Ellie pressed further, feeling extremely lucky to get the mysterious girl open up for the little while.

"He.. died." Aileen replied simply with her eyes casted down and fixed on the very bottom of the mug she was holding in both her hands. However, her voice sounded raspy as she struggled to contain all the emotions swelling up within her.

"Oh. I'm so sorry, Leeney." Ellie stuttered with a slight embarrassment and blamed herself for her insatiable curiosity.

"It's okay, it was like ages ago." Aileen muttered quietly, trying so hard to appear indifferent. But her voice cracked once again and she had to squeeze her eyes shut for the memories of the past which she had already managed to burry in the darkest corners of her mind began to resurface. She took a deep breath and finished her drink with one last swig.

"It's too late and I'm really tired now. Seems the storm is moving over, I hopefully shall get some sleep." Aileen laid the mug on the table and stood up, bidding her friend goodnight.

"Aye, very well. Go get some beauty sleep, honey. After all, you're probably gonna meet your prince tomorrow, right?" Ellie giggled as she enjoyed openly teasing the other girl.

"Oh stop the nonsense, please!" Aileen retorted but nudged Ellie's arm playfully, joining her in laughter. She was glad to have the girl by her side and not only for enduring the stormy night with her.

 ** _Spring, 1895_**

The storm seemed to have no end. Blue flashes of lightning illuminated the dark room every now and then, roars of thunder made the ground shake and still pierced through Aileen's ears, no matter how hard she was pressing her hands to her head in attempt to block the dreadful noises.

She whimpered and folded her hands in front of herself, praying silently. "Please stop. Please stop and go away. Just go away!"

Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she started to sob. The little girl was not quite sure why the storms always made her feel so frightened. Whether it was rather the sharp ominous light or the deafening scary sound which followed afterwards. But when such weather was raging outside, she did not feel safe and that was probably the main reason for her fear. She had run into her parents' bedroom several times before but everytime had been quickly dismissed with a sentence saying that it was only a storm and she was a big girl enough to be afraid. But she was, weren't they able to understand?

All of a sudden her ears picked up on some other sound, much softer and melodious, which she soon recognized as someone playing the piano. The tune was very soothing and she dared to poke her head from under the bed to hear it better. Shortly she found herself crawling out of her hiding place completely and taking after the mellifluous music which led her through a long gloomy corridor to the staircase in the hall. When she looked up, she saw Dorian sitting by the piano, his head shaking to the rhythm of the song he was playing.

Aileen didn't hesitate for long before climbing up the stairs but when she reached the top, she paused. A brief thought, whether it was or wasn't appropriate to join the young man, shot through her well-behaved child's mind. He was wearing a robe and his long chestnut hair was disheveled, apparently the storm had interrupted his blissful sleep and he hadn't felt like bothering to fix his appearance. But to her he looked gorgeous even like that. Over the couple of weeks he had been staying with them in the house the girl had developed a serious crush on Mr. Gray and he gave the impression of growing very fond of her as well.

She decided to watch him for a minute longer before announcing her presence but on the instant he opened his eyes which had remained closed until that very moment. His gaze immediately set on her tiny form standing by the stairs and his playing came to a halt.

"Aileen." he addressed her with a noticeable astonishment in his voice. "Good evening."

"Good evening to you too, Mr. Gray." the girl replied politely.

"Please, just Dorian." he offered her a warm smile.

"Alright, Dorian." she tittered and looked at him shyly from under her eyelashes, a coy smile adorning her pretty face.

"Did the storm also awaken you?" Dorian asked and motioned for her to sit on the settee next to the piano.

Aileen gladly obeyed his suggestion and made herself comfortable, "Yes. It always does. I do not understand how some people can wholly sleep it through. I wish I could do it, too. Storms really give me a fright. And no one cares to understand."

"I do." Dorian said honestly and for the moment locked his sincere brown eyes with those of the little lass who was sitting comfortably on the sofa across from him. They both exchanged a sort of bashful smiles, appearing to be equally astounded by the degree of thier mutual understanding and similarity of their feelings.

"I also used to be afraid when I was a small boy." he began warily.

"One night I got up from bed and walked through the corridors, attracted by an imposing sound. I arrived here where my grandfather was playing this same piano. His face was strained, eyes closed and hair unusally rumpled, he looked like the devil himself, it truly was a scary sight." he pictured his memory for her.

"But as I somehow was not able to move or even turn my head away, I kept watching him and listening to the intoxicating music which was deliberately accentuated by the rumble from outside and together with bright flashes of light it made the atmosphere of it all just.."

"Perfect." Aileen promptly finished for him.

"Yes. Yes, exactly." Dorian agreed and nodded hesitantly with a corner of his lips curled up.

"I came here because I too had heard you play. It was really impeccable." the girl beamed and praised his recent musical performance.

"Thank you, sweetie. I greatly value your appreciation, indeed." he admitted and bent his head in a slight bow, his right hand covering his heart.

Dorian's demeanor made her let out a small chuckle, the sweet vibrant sound conjuring up a wide grin on his own face.

"Will you play some more for me, please?" Aileen pleaded, making puppy eyes on him.

"How could I say no to such a beautiful young lady?" he sniggered and gave her an amused side look while already setting his fingers onto the piano keys.

A second later the room was filled up with a pleasant melody and Aileen felt like the whole world was starting to disappear. There was only her and Dorian and the soft tune surrounding them.

Before she knew it, a slumber had overcome her as she lied nestled on the settee with hands folded in front of her face and legs tucked beneath herself.

When Dorian noticed she was fast asleep, he stood up and walked over to her, gently scooping up her sleeping form into his arms and very carefully carried her down the stairs and to her bedroom.

He laid her on the bed with care and pulled a blanket over her body, trying his best not to awake the child. But the girl began to stir anyway. Her eyes fluttered open and it took her a moment to recognize where she was. Dorian gazed down at her, smiling tenderly.

"You brought me here?" Aileen asked, not hiding her surprise.

"Yes, I did." the young gentleman confirmed with a nod.

"Thank you." she whispered gratefully and covered her mouth with one hand to stifle a yawn.

"You know," he said quietly and lowered himself to the bedside level, "I know all too well how it feels when you are lonely and no one understands you. But now you have me. And I have you."

"You are my very best friend, Dorian." the girl conceded and produced a sleepy smile.

Dorian affectionately tipped her nose and straightened up, getting ready to leave. "Good night, Aileen."

"Hm.. mm.. god nit." muttered the lass, already starting to doze off again. She felt happy and safe, no matter that the nasty storm still wasn't entirely over.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I know.. shame on me :( And I'm sorry for Sibyl will only make the appearance in the next chapter. I am already halfway through with it but.. :D

 _ **Chapter 3 - Gentleman's compliments**_

 _ **One Year Ago**_

A pleasantly warm evening breeze was playing with Aileen's long golden tresses while she was standing on a small porch of her recently newly rebuilt house in the middle of an australian bush. Her hands were firmly gripping the porch rail and her eyes were casted somewhere beyond the horizon with its beautiful crimson sky. She knew her time here was up, those fifteen peaceful years seemed just to fly by. Fifteen years, and she still looked the same like on the first day she had arrived to this forsaken corner of this desolate land. Her pretty face remained wrinkle-free and there was not a single grayish hair on her head which made people wonder and whisper behind her back. Some thought she was a witch, according to the others she must have been a vampire but everyone around her agreed that her always perfect yet unnaturally lasting appearance simply wasn't normal.

"Miss Duncan, we are ready to serve dinner." said an elderly man with a dark skin and snow-white hair matching his beard who had emerged from inside the house.

Aileen spun around and nodded politely, "Thank you, Pearce. I'll be there in a minute."

The man made a slight bow and disappeared behind a closed door.  
Aileen once again turned towards the vast and seemingly hostile plain that surrounded her existing home. She had already decided what her next destination would be, no matter that a mere thought of the place was sending shivers down her spine. It had been almost one hundred years since she had left London and England, swearing to herself she would never return but during the last couple of months she had been haunted by dreams and signs, everything telling her it was time to go back. And she chose to obey, listen to the voice of her destiny and return to her homeland, hoping she might be able to find a reason or a purpose for her otherwise empty and lonely life. Or maybe.. the time has come to end this long suffering of her broken heart.

 _ **Present Day**_

"Gods, look at all those people! Some of them had been waiting here even before we came in." Aileen commented on the crowd of mostly teenage kids and young girls gathered in the foyer of the store.

"They aren't here to listen to the reading, dear, they're here because of them." Ellie pointed sharply at the huge poster placed in the corner of the foyer and next to a long white desk with a few chairs. "I bet a good half of the girls is head over heels in love with prince Caspian and the second one with the two other guys."  
She then nudged Aileen's arm and gave her a mischievous smile, "You can join them after your session is over and ask your prince to sign your bra or whatever."

Aileen turned her head towards her friend, wearing an expression of pretended indignation, "No, thank you. Besides, I have my own crowd of fans waiting for me. Though it's much smaller and.. older." she muttered and glanced up at the tall brunette who chuckled at her last statement.

"Ah, miss Duwall, here you are." Mr. Parker called from behind their back. "The room is full and ready, would you please accompany me inside." and he motioned for her to follow him.

When they entered, the hum in the room was slowly beginning to die down and Aileen felt her nervousness was returning. She had no experience of speaking in front of so many people, quite the opposite, all her life she'd shunned the society and always tried her best to somehow keep away from people and now here she was, sitting by a table on a small stage, put on everbody's display.  
Mr. Parker made an opening speech and briefly introduced her to the audience. At the end he offered her a warm smile, "They are all yours now."

Aileen wanted to greet the attendants herself but her voice betrayed her and she had to clear her throat before finally speaking up. No one seemed to mind and all the eager faces helped her to calm down so that she was able to start reading.  
It all was going better than she had expected until the moment someone opened the closed door. She looked up and almost dropped the book she was holding in her hands. Her whole body froze, only her eyes were trailing after the newly incoming figure of a young man who quickly took one of the last vacant seats, silently apologizing for the interruption. He then suddenly locked his eyes with hers and Aileen felt like the world around her began to shatter, this time she did drop the book.

Ellie was one of those who turned around to see who had dared to enter ten minutes before the session's scheduled end. Her mouth immediately went open and she covered it with a hand as to keep her excitement at bay. She used the other hand to show her friend a sign of a thumb up but Aileen didn't catch it, she seemed to be in some kind of a trance, like before when she had stared at the poster. Ellie turned her head once again and realized the prince was bravely holding Aileen's piercing gaze. It was like they both let their surroundings dissapear, not being able to tear their eyes away from each other. But the awkward tension between them was suddenly disrupted by a loud thud.

The violent sound brought Aileen back to her senses.  
"Oh! I.. I'm sorry. Just a moment.. um.. yes, here it is." she mumbled incoherently while furiously searching for the marked page. She let out a small sigh of relief when she found the line to continue her reading. Looking the audience over she made sure not to make any eye contact with that intruder, then she cleared her throat once more and began to recite.

The rest of her performance went well and she was glad when she could slam the book closed. However it was not the end for after the reading there was a 'questions and answers' part which she had been quite afraid of. But fortunately for her no one had asked a question she would have felt uncomfortable to answer.  
During this final part she occasionally glanced at the young man and every time caught him watching her. It made her tremble but she used all her strength to keep herself composed. She couldn't help but wonder why he had decided to come to her session and why he seemed to feel the urge to watch her every move and listen to every single word that left her mouth.

At last Mr. Parker stood up and announced the time for the questions had run out and invited all those who were after Aileen's signature for their book's copy. He then excused himself for the next upcoming session and left Aileen alone with her admirers.

Her right hand had already begun to hurt but she couldn't care less for it was making her feel proud that so many people had come here to show their support and appreciation. With the hustle around her she had almost forgotten about him but when the last signature had been written down and book returned to its grateful owner, she spotted him standing up from the table right below the stage and coming towards her.

"Excuse me, I just want to apologize for interrupting your presentation, I wish I was able to come in time." he said, his soft voice instantly ringing in Aileen's ears, she would have recognized it anywhere. Dorian's voice. But he wasn't Dorian, she had to mentally kick herself.

Taking a brief notice of his guilty expression, she gave a nod and decently replied, "It's all right, your apology has been accepted."  
And she sprang up from her seat, packing her things in haste. Being in his presence somehow filled her with a sort of trepidation and she wanted nothing else but to be out of that room as fast as possible. Well, a part of her. The other one begged to get even closer to him, to keep the talking for as long as he would allow it.

"Perhaps I should also say sorry.." he spoke again but didn't have a chance to finish his sentence for Aileen cut him off without mercy.

"For what? The way you stared at me the whole time? Yes, that was rude. Do you enjoy making other people nervous?" she blurted out without thinking.

"Oh. Then I'm really sorry, miss. Maybe I thought such a beautiful young woman would take it as a compliment." he grinned and looked her in the eye with a quirked eyebrow.

Aileen shook her head at his obvious attempt to flirt with her, "If you wanted to compliment me, you would say something nice about my work. That's what a gentleman would do."

He only chuckled and ran a hand through his long dark hair, "So you think I am not a gentleman?"

She eyed him warily for a few seconds, then addressed him uncertainly, "Well, Mr. .."

"Barnes." he readily added for her, "My name is Ben Barnes." And he extended a hand to offer her a handshake. But she decided to ignore it.  
"Alright, Mr. Barnes. What I think I tend to keep to myself. And now please excuse me, I must be going."

With that she took her bag and hurried out of the room.  
Ben stayed leaning against the desk nonchalantly, his eyes following the woman's each step until she was out of sight. He shook his head and sighed, feeling rather confused. He knew that most probably they were already looking for him as their own session was about to start any minute now. Before he had turned around, he noticed something lying on the floor. Apparently this had not been his last encounter with that mysterious and a little bit cheeky girl.

 _ **Late spring, 1895**_

Aileen's sobs could be heard after a loud bang of slamming the front door and soon enough the girl rushed past the hall and to her bedroom. In her poor state she failed to notice that Mr. Hallward was visiting again to work on Dorian's portrait.

"Aileen! Aileen, wait!" Dorian shouted after her, trying to make her stop. But it was to no avail, she was gone.

"Dorian, you need to stand still if you want the picture to ever be done." Basil mildly reprimanded him when he had moved away from his spot, clearly taking after the child.

"I am sorry, Basil. I need to get this sorted out." he uttered with an apologetic smile and hurried through the long corridor to Aileen's room.

The door was closed and so he knocked and waited for the girl's approval to enter. When there was still no reply, he let himself in and instantly saw her kneeling beside her bed, her head resting on her folded arms as she cried hard.

"Aileen, what's wrong?" he asked softly after he had come closer and lowered himself down to her level, right next to her. He then gently stroked her hair, "Come on, sweetie. Tell me what happened."

She had tried to contain the sobs before she looked up, her wet puffy eyes meeting his, now filled with concern and worry.

"They ha-hate me." she stuttered in between her sobbing. "Th-they say I am ugly and not noble enough to play a princess. Look what they did to my dress!"

Only then Dorian spotted her dress was torn and dirty. A sudden wave of anger washed over him and he wished to be present at the incident only to be able to step in and make them all pay for what they had done.

He grabbed her by her arms firmly yet still delicately to position her face to face with him. "Listen to me now, I want you to always remember one thing. No matter what the others say or do, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met. And smart and kind and amazing." he poured out the flattering words unwaveringly. "If anyone says otherwise, they are lying."

Aileen devoured each his word, the clouds of sadness and shame that had covered her face slowly vanishing. When he finished his speech, the corners of her lips quirked up and she rewarded him with a radiant smile followed by a tight hug.

"Oh my!" Dorian chuckled but returned the warm gesture with a pleasure. "Now come with me, Basil is surely growing impatient and later on we are going to do something about that dress. All right?" and he outstretched his hand for her.

The girl willingly took it, grinning happily, "And you are the finest gentleman I have ever known, Dorian."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4 - Dorian's soul on the Devil's altar**_

 _ **Late spring, 1895**_

"I want to see it." lord Wotton called out and rised to his feet, walking over to Basil who was finishing Dorian's portrait.

"No! I am not done, Henry. The deal was to sit here and be quiet." the painter reminded him resolutely.

"Even I cannot see it." Dorian explained with an amused smirk playing on his lips.

Aileen was also excited to finally look at the picture and so when the three gentlemen took their leave, she went straight to the painting canvas covered by a white cloth. She pulled it up just enough to see the stunning portrait of a beautiful young man and she almost gasped. It was like Dorian himself was staring back at her from the canvas, Mr. Hallward truly had created a great piece of art.  
She kept looking at the familiar face for another minute before she let the cloth fall back down, feeling certain that Dorian would be very pleased.

"Good evening, Mr. Hallward." Aileen greeted the man with a quick curtsy when he had returned alone. "Dorian and lord Wotton are not coming yet?"

"I am afraid they are not, my dear. I came this soon because I still need to work on the background for the portrait." Basil informed her brusquely, then tilted his head slightly to one side and quirked an eyebrow at her, "Shouldn't you already be off to bed now? It is quite late."

Aileen blushed a little bit and hung her head low, "You are very right, Mr. Hallward. But I could not afford to miss the first moment you will show the picture to us."

Basil found the girl's excitement very amusing so he gave her a cordial smile and winked at her playfully. "Alright then, I am not going to tell anyone."

When the other two gentlemen returned, Aileen was already sleeping in not a very comfortable position in the nearby chair. Their loud voices woke her up from the light slumber and she blinked several times to get accustomed to the brightness of the hall.

"So, Basil, are you done with that doodle yet?" lord Wotton inquired, his lips curled into a smug smile.

"I am, Henry." Basil replied calmly. "Dorian, would you please come here and look at that _doodle_ I have been working on for the past few weeks?"

Dorian stepped closer and paused, gawking at the portrait of himself and it seemed like he just ran out of words. Because no words could describe Basil's perfect craft of the fine art.

"Say something, young man, or you will hurt his feelings." lord Wotton nudged Dorian's back in a friendly manner.

"Basil, it's really.." Dorian promptly digged in his mind for the right description.

"Magnificent." a tiny child's voice added for him.

All three men turned around in unison to see the girl, still slightly drowsy, gazing at the Dorian's portrayal with her sparkling eyes which reflected pure admiration and thrill.

"At least someone here is able to appreciate my work enough." Basil offered her a genuine, amiable smile.

"I suppose it's well past your bedtime, child." lord Wotton addressed her with a scolding voice and waved his hand dismissively. "Off to bed with you, lass!"

Aileen swung her eyes from the lord to Dorian who only nodded in agreement so she lowered her head and curtsied, bidding all of them good night.

Obediently, she made her way out of the hall and to her room. However, when she disappeared from their sight in the darkness of the long and gloomy corridor, her ears picked up on their ongoing discussion and her steps halted. She turned around and pressed her petite form to a wall, moving slowly and carefully to the corridor's open end where she could easily spy on them. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to see Dorian from this spot because he remained hidden behind the portrait. But she watched lord Wotton to light his tobacco pipe while Mr. Hallward was cleaning his painting supplies and stuff.

"Is that really how I look? It's just so... life-like." Dorian breathed, still in awe.

"Better than life." Henry Wotton remarked soberly and came nearer, observing the painting once more. "He will always look like that. You, Mr. Gray, I'm afraid will not." he concluded and retreated to sit in one of the comfy chairs.

"Some things are more precious because they don't last." Basil opposed to his statement.

"Poppycock." Henry retorted. "We wither and scar because the gods are cruel and hateful."

"Perhaps I should nail my soul to the Devil's altar." Dorian muttered over his shoulder, referring to Henry's own words from the pub where they had spent the whole evening.

Henry caught on immediately. "And remain as you are? Fair trade."

"How about another gin, instead?" Basil suggested in attempt to change the subject of their conversation.

But Henry did not want to leave it as yet. "All that hocus-pocus, endless conjurations, books bound in infant skin, pentacles of fire, drinking the blood of virgins. Dorian wouldn't really barter his soul. Would you, Dorian?" he asked him derisively, drawing his attention. "Would you?"

"Yes." Dorian vowed and his voice was firm and resolute, without any trace of doubt.

Aileen gasped and instantly covered her mouth with a hand as to muffle the sound of utter disbelief. Never would she have thought that Dorian might be willing enough to bargain away his soul. The one word echoed maliciously through her mind while she resumed the track to her bedchamber. Number of thoughts flooded her small head, making her feel quite uneasy and restless. Was it really possible to give up one's soul in exchange for eternal youth and beauty? But at what cost? Was it actually worth it? And what was going to be the price?

That night, Aileen had troubles to fall asleep. She had kept on tossing and rolling over in her bed before a slumber finally overcame her, bringing her awful dreams of devilishly grinning Dorian who was eventually turning into a horrid, terrifying monster.

The next day Dorian invited all his friends and acquaintances to proudly present them Mr. Hallward's masterpiece. Everybody was gasping in astonishment, praising Basil's talent and skilled hands. Some photographers had been invited as well, on lord Wotton's request, of course.

Aileen had not been allowed to attend the party but she somehow managed to watch from behind the scenes. When the guests started to take their leave one after another, Dorian caught a glimpse of her standing quietly in the shadows and on the instant he went to drag her into the bright light of the hall, which conjured a sulky scowl on lord Wotton's face.

It was more than clear that Henry Wotton disliked Aileen as he did all the children in general. He wasn't pleased at all that Dorian seemed to enjoy spending time with the girl, he thought it pretty ridiculous and unworthy his status. But he would figure out how to get rid of her, sooner or later.

Aileen wasn't much fond of the man, either. She could sense his negative attitude towards herself but she didn't dare to tell Dorian about it for the two men had become very close friends and she might be skating on thin ice with her pertinent complaints.

Dorian also asked one of the photographer to take a picture of him and Aileen together. Her chest was swelling with pride and her eyes were sparkling joyfully when he bent down on one knee next to her, now being on the same level with her. After the photo had been taken, Aileen innocently pecked Dorian's cheek and gave him a warm hug.

"I love you, Dorian." she told him honestly, with her body pressed to his chest.

"I love you too, Aileen." he whispered loudly enough for her to hear it, leaning his chin against the top of her head.

Their sweet, cute moment had been witnessed not only by both Basil and Henry but also by Aileen's mother who was coming to collect empty plates and trays. And though they all had seen the same scene, each one of them felt very differently about their displayed affection. While Basil appeared to be sincerely touched by their strong bond, Henry only scoffed and scowled in irritation and Aileen's mother became rather worried. The woman was aware of her daughter's growing feelings for their young landlord and she was afraid that her little girl would only get hurt by keeping to sink deeper into their odd and unalike friendship.

"Aileen, I need your help in the kitchen. Come with me, please." the woman in her black and white maid's uniform beckoned to her daughter who was still reluctant to leave the safe circle of Dorian's arms.

The girl couldn't help but let out a resentful groan. "Alright, mommy. I'm coming."

Dorian flashed her a wide grin before turning back to his friends and the rest of his guests.

By the time Aileen and her mother were done with their work in the kitchen, the party had been completely over. The hall was peacefully silent now, lacking the previous hum of people's talks, laughter and muttering. They were all gone, including Dorian. The girl sighed in disappointment, for she had hoped to spend some more time with him, the young man had been giving the impression of being in particularly high spirits that day.

Feeling really tired after another eventful day and also missing her last night's sleep, Aileen rubbed her sleepy eyes and briskly marched towards her room. Surely there would be a chance to talk to Dorian again tomorrow.

When she woke up the next morning, the sun was already standing high in the clear blue sky, peeking into her room through a large window, its warm rays of light tickling her cheek. Aileen realized that she must have slept in and instantly jumped out of bed, getting dressed in great haste. She wasn't in hurry to school for it was Saturday but she didn't want to miss Dorian, sometimes he went away in the morning and didn't show up until the evening which always left her feeling somehow disgruntled.

The girl rushed to the kitchen where she greeted her mother who just placed a tray with fresh pastry and a jar of marmalade on the table in front of her.

"Is Dorian up, mommy?" she asked with keen interest which only made the woman sigh deeply and slightly shake her head.

"Not yet, he returned late yesterday." came her mother's reply as she sat down on a chair next to her. "Look, Aileen, this needs to stop."

"What?" Aileen looked at her with brows knitted together in a puzzled frown.

"This your infatuation with Mr. Gray." her mother answered with a serious voice. "You are still a child while he is a grown-up man. Soon he is going to find a young lady for courting and you will be pushed aside, suffering a big heartache."

Those words made Aileen upset and she glared at her mother almost angrily. "Dorian loves me! He told me that yesterday. You just don't understand."

"Very well, sweetheart." the woman nodded and nudged the tray even closer to the petulantly looking lass. She knew there was no point in arguing with her stubborn daughter about this. She would just have to find out the hard way in the end.

"Mrs. Dunlow?" Dorian poked his head into the kitchen from behind the door and the woman didn't fail to notice that Aileen's face visibly brightened.

"Yes, Mr. Gray?" She turned to him and stood up from her seat.

"Hawlaw Dwaian." Aileen spoke with a full bite of bread stuffed in her mouth and earned herself a stern glance from her mother.

Dorian smirked at the girl and greeted her as well. Then he switched his attention back to the woman. "Mrs. Dunlow, please don't expect me for lunch today. I won't be back before the late afternoon."

"Of course, Mr. Gray. Dinner will be served at seven, is that alright?" Mrs. Dunlow checked out with him.

Dorian gave her an appreciative smile. "Perfect." he agreed and waved at Aileen instead of saying good bye.

Both the girl and the woman could hear him croon a soft tune as he was retreating, he was singing to himself! And Aileen was growing more and more certain that something had happened last evening. But she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Dorian arrived from his errands very late, only half an hour before the scheduled dinner. He was striding through the hallway, once again humming an unknown melody.

"Dorian!" Aileen emerged from a dining room where she had been setting the table.

"Aileen!" Dorian opened his arms, offering her a hug.

She flung herself into his embrace and he lifted her up, swirling her around, their merry giggles filling the air of the great hall.

He put her down at last and leaned closer to her, his ever so handsome face reflecting happiness and a mix of other emotions. "I met someone." he announced with a silly smile. "And I want you to meet her."

Aileen's face fell at his last word, however Dorian seemed to be too absorbed in his latest memories that he didn't take a notice of her suddenly subdued expression. Her? Her. Her! She didn't want to know who that girl was and she had no desire to meet her.

During the dinner Dorian asked for a permission to take Aileen out to a park the next day. He explained to her parents that long ago he had promised to bring her along and show her a riding school and now the weather was finally warm enought to allow it. They hesitated before giving him a reluctant nod of approval but he had been really insistent and Aileen had literally begged them to let her go, reassuring her mom and dad that she would behave, therefore they soon ran out of arguments against their outing.

On Sunday afternoon Aileen was walking with Dorian through the town to St. James's Park. Her mother had helped her to choose a soft yellow dress with a matching ribbon which accentuated her strikingly green eyes and golden tresses of her hair. Dorian wore his grey suit over a white shirt and he looked truly gorgeous, attracting the stares and smiles of all the girls and women they met on their way.

"So, where is she?" Aileen asked impatiently after they had reached the grassy area with a lake.

"Just a moment... Well, there she is." Dorian pointed at a figure sitting on the lake's bank and tugged at Aileen's hand to follow him.

At some point the girl glanced over her shoulder and saw them approaching so she quickly got on her feet and smoothed the wrinkles on her white dress.

"Sibyl." Dorian breathed out her name. "I am so glad to see you again."

Sibyl blushed a little and tilted her head down, peering at him from behind her long lashes. "Me, too." Then her eyes landed on the little lass. "And you must be Aileen. Dorian told me about you and your friendship. I'm really happy to meet you." she smiled and outstretched her gentle hand to offer a handshake.

Aileen tentatively accepted it and squeezed. She studied the girl more closely and she had to admit that Sibyl was very beautiful. Her curly reddish hair perfectly contrasted with her pale porcelain skin and bright blue eyes, her smile being one of those which could melt the rocks. No wonder that Dorian had fallen under her spell.

"Nice to meet you, too. Sibyl." Aileen mumbled reservedly and forced a smile.

She felt strongly conflicted inside. Sibyl was nothing but kind and friendly to her but on the other hand she obviously had stolen Dorian's heart which could only be likened to a high treason. But she was trying her best to be sweet and gracious, for Dorian's sake as well as her own, and by the time they were about to head back home she had found herself considering Sibyl as her new friend.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm really sorry for the long time with no updates but I've experienced some great ups and downs in my life and simply didn't have the mood for writing. I hope you all had a merry Christmas and I do believe everything's gonna be better the next year! So happy and lucky new year to all of you! :x

 _ **Chapter 5 - From compliments to dating**_

 _ **Present Day**_

Ellie took off after her friend who had rushed past her and hurried towards the exit. "Aileen, wait! Heey! Slow down!"

But Aileen paid no mind to her cries. She was already making her way through the crowd of fans who waited for their movie stars to show up. The people were huffing in irritation as she was roughly pushing them out of her way, while Ellie was flashing all of them sheepish smiles and mumbling some apologetic words.

Once they were finally out of that bloody shop, Aileen's fast and determined steps came to a halt. She was trebmling as cold shivers ran up an down her spine and her breathing was quite uneven. Was it really possible that this guy resembled Dorian so very much, in every single detail? He even sounded just like him!

"What the hell was that?" Ellie grumbled with her brows furrowed into a puzzled frown.

"What do you mean?" Aileen regarded her with an equally confused look.

"I mean... _you_ and _him_ and all those stares and glances. I saw it! You two know each other?" Ellie asked suspiciously.

"No!" Aileen exclaimed in her defense. "I have never met him before!"

Her friend took a disgruntled stance and crossed her arms in front of herself. "Yeah. And that's why you _both_ stared at one another like long lost lovers." she uttered with a mocking voice. "Come on! I'm your best friend, you can tell me anything."

Aileen casted her eyes aside and sighed. "I can't. It's complicated."

"I swear I won't tease you anymore. But please, please tell me." Ellie literally pouted, looking like a puppy begging for his favorite treats.

Aileen couldn't help but smile at her theatrical performance right there on the street. But she shook her head in denial and started to walk in the direction of their home.

"Aileen, wait." Ellie stopped her by catching her arm. "Shall we take a taxi?"

"No, I will prefer the walk. But you can go ahead if you want." she said gingerly and motioned to a line of yellow cars on the other side of the road.

Ellie cringed her nose at the suggestion. "Can I walk with you?" she asked rather warily, she had a strong feeling that Aileen needed her more than ever before now. Or maybe she just wanted to be left alone.

"That would be great. Thanks, Ellie."Aileen agreed with gratitude and linked her arm with the other girl as they both continued their way home together.

It was a fairly long way through London's centre but neither of them seemed to mind. The air was pleasantly warm that late summer afternoon and the girls strolled the streets at a lazy pace, even stopping by an ice-cream cart. Ellie had quitted asking questions although the earlier events still gnawed at the corner of her mind. But she remained tongue-tied about it which Aileen felt greatly thankful for.

"I need a hot shower." Aileen muttered once they had got inside their cozy apartment whilst Ellie tossed her keys onto a shelve next to the door.

"Sounds like a good idea, my turn is right after you." Ellie tittered merrily and went directly to the kitchen to snatch something for light supper.

Aileen joined her soon after she had managed to calm down her nerves under the hot streams of water. It always worked for her. And today she really needed it. She prepared two toasts with eggs for herself and started to eat as well when someone knocked on the door.

"Stay sit here, I'll answer it." Ellie instructed her like a mother hen and strode to the front door.

When she opened it, her mouth fell slightly open, too. "Y-yes?" was all she could say for the moment with her eyebrows raised all the way up.

"Hey, I'm looking for miss Duwall. Does she live here?" Ben inquired in a friendly tone and with his charming smile playing upon his lips.

Ellie nodded uncertainly. "Yes, but..." she somehow trailed off.

"But what?" Ben chuckled and gave her a quizzical look.

The girl bit her bottom lip and said "Okay. Wait a sec." She left the door half open and returned to the kitchen.

"Who was it?" Aileen asked casually, taking another bite of her toast.

"It's _him_. And he wants to talk to you." Ellie half-whispered and gestured behind herself dramatically, causing the other girl to almost choke on her meal.

"What?!" Aileen snapped out in between her violent coughing. What the hell did he want? And how did he know where she lived?

Ellie's encouraging voice disrupted her chain of thoughts, "Just go, he's waiting there."

Aileen cleared her throat and wiped her mouth, reluctantly dragging herself up to her feet. She was only wearing her robe and had her hair tangled in a towel on her head. Truly a perfect condition to meet the famous actor, indeed.

All too cautiously, she opened the door more wide but stayed standing behind it, using it as a shield to cover her modesty and glared at the handsome young man with her eyes narrowed a little bit. "Hi. You wanted to speak to me."

Ben looked at her and on the instant he realized why the other girl had been so hesitant about calling for her before. "Hi again. Yeah..." he smiled uncertainly and reached inside the pocket of his jacket. "I've found this and thought you might need it back." And he handed her a small card.

"Oh, my identity card. I must have dropped it when I was packing my things. Thanks." Aileen mumbled, taking the small item from his hand. Then she glanced up and rewarded him with a bright smile.

He immediately returned it. "You're welcome."

But Aileen's face suddenly turned into a suspicious frown. "Did you go all the way down here only to bring me back the card? You could have left it in the shop, Mr. Parker would surely call me about it."

"Well..." Ben started hesitantly and ran a hand through his dark hair, "I also hoped to.. uh, maybe ask you out. I'd like to get my own copy of your book signed, too." he grinned at her and Aileen found it more and more difficult to keep her stern face up.

"Are you asking me on a date?" her smile grew wider for she felt really amused by such an idea.

"Does it sound so?" he replied with a question of his own and his expression mirrored hers.

"She has a day off tomorrow!" an enthusiastic voice from inside called towards the door and Aileen had to roll her eyes at her friend who had apparently took a role of a matchmaker upon herself.

"So.. lunch together, perhaps?" Ben suggested with a quirked eyebrow.

Aileen still wasn't sure if this was a good idea. "I.. I really don't know."

"I'll pick you up at twelve." he had winked at her playfully and flashed her one last irresistible smile before he turned on his heels and marched towards the stairs.

"All right. At twelve." Aileen whispered to herself and couldn't make the happy grin leave her stunned face.

"Awww! I can't believe it, it's absolutely amazing!" Ellie screamed in her outburst of joy. "You're going on a date with Ben Barnes!"

"I'm not sure if I should..." Aileen grounded her endless enthusiasm.

"What are you saying? Of course you should! And you will, I'll make sure about it!" Ellie pointed a forefinger on her sharply, then nudged her arm as she always did when teasing her. "You like him, don't deny it anymore. He truly has a personal charm like no other, I would say."

Aileen avoided looking her friend in the eye but nodded in agreement. "Yes, indeed. He seems to be quite a gentleman, after all."

 _ **Summer, 1895**_

"Sibyl! Dorian!" Aileen shouted happily from the great hall and sprinted through the hallway towards the front door to greet the incoming couple.

It had been a week since she saw her new grown-up friend and the whole month had passed by since the first time they met when Dorian had introduced them to each other in the park. Aileen had to admit she was pleased that Dorian had chosen to court this particular girl for Sibyl was not only very pretty but also very kind and nice and she had a good heart. She really was a person very easy to fall in love with and what Aileen appreciated the most was that Sibyl seemed to approve of her friendship with Dorian, she even offered her own friendship as well. And over the short period of time both the girls had become very close.

"Aileen!" Sibyl addressed her with the same enthusiasm after she had spun around and bent down to give the girl a hug. "I'm so glad to to see you again! How are you?"

"I'm doing just fine, thank you." Aileen replied while pulling out from her embrace.

Dorian grimaced, pretending to feel hurt. "And what about me? Don't you think I deserve a hug, too?"

Aileen grinned widely at him and spreaded her arms to let him hold her tight. "It's great that you have brought Sibyl here." she purred, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I've got something for you." Dorian announced with a corner of his lips curled up into a triumphant smile.

"Oh!" Aileen exclaimed and started jumping on the spot. "What is it? What is it? Please!"

"Aileen!" a stern female voice made them all turn their heads and look further inside the house. "Go to the kitchen this instant!"

Aileen sighed heavily and lowered her head in embarrassment, then stepped backwards and walked away from the pair. She felt strongly cross about being treated unfairly by her mother whose eyes were never leaving her sulking form. They were her friends. Dorian loved her. And she loved him, loved spending time with him and now with Sibyl, too. But whenever her mother saw her in his presence, she always tended to chase her off by requesting her assistance or giving her orders as to leave and do whatever seemed necessary right at that moment. Yes, that was truly unfair.

When Aileen disappeared around the corner, the woman rushed forward wearing a guilty expression. "I am so sorry, Mr. Gray..."

But she didn't finish the sentence for Dorian had cut her off. "It is all right, Mrs. Dunlow."

"Your daughter is such an adorable girl." Sibyl added honestly with one of her most charming smiles.

"Mrs. Dunlow," Dorian had cleared his throat before he continued, "let me introduce you miss Sibyl Vane. She will be staying for dinner this evening."

The maid curtsied and beamed at the young and beautiful woman. "Of course. It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Vane."

Sibyl made a respectful curtsy as well and then Mrs. Dunlow ushered them inside. "Now come in, please. The dinner will be served within an hour."

Aileen was keeping quiet while helping her mother with the meal's final touches and she refused to spare her a word when she was leaving for the dining room where she was going to set the table. After everything had been done, the girl went looking for Dorian and Sibyl to let them know the dinner was ready while Mrs. Dunlow was carrying a tray with tureen in. This time the woman was too busy with her own chores that she let Aileen slip away.

Dorian's fingers were dancing on the piano keys effortlessly, producing sweet and soft melody which delighted all the ears in the mansion. Aileen's heart blossomed when she entered the hall again and the enticing tune wrapped around her, making her completely forget about still being mad and grumpy. Once more her steps were light and cheerful as she headed for the staircase. However, when she had climbed a half of the stairs, the music stopped suddenly and it ended her progress as well.

She didn't know why but her feet felt like glued to the surface and she simply couldn't move forward or even backward for that matter. Instead, she ducked a little bit and strained her ears to listen to the following conversation.

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" Dorian suggested with a hopeful voice.

"I-I don't know. Jim will worry." came Sibyl's hesitant answer.

"I'll send Mr. Dunlow to inform him about your whereabouts." Dorian promptly announced to put her at ease. "I so wish you would stay here... with me. We shouldn't be afraid of our feelings, Sib." he added softly, almost whispering.

There had been a pause before Sibyl spoke. "It's just..." she trailed off and shifted nervously. "I've seen other girls who give themselves, and then I've seen what becomes of them."

"I love you." Dorian vowed and he sounded resolute and determined. It was like these three words were the answer to any further questions and a key to silence any possible doubts.

 _I love you._ Those three words echoed through Aileen's mind over and over. She knew all too well that Dorian was in love with Sibyl but anyway, to hear him confess his love and devotion for the young woman somehow seemed to be more than she was able to bear. A deep frown marred her angelic face as she was trying to decide how she felt about all this. Dorian was her friend and so was Sibyl. They loved each other and that was wonderful. Wasn't it? Aileen simply couldn't tell.

"Aileen, what are you doing here? Are you okay?" Sibyl's concerned voice brought her back from her state of oblivion and she watched as her friend was already descending the stairs to get to her with Dorian in tow.

On the instant, Aileen straightened up and quickly digged in her brain for a reasonable excuse. "I am alright, really. Only very tired." she lied because by no means did she want to be questioned about eavesdropping their private conversation.

"Oh!" Sibyl sighed in sympathy and took the girl's hand to help her climb down the rest of the stairs. "Maybe you should eat something and go straight to bed."

Dorian looked slightly disconcerted as well. "I think I will have to speak to your mother as not to overstretch you so much."

A satisfied smirk appeared on Aileen's pink lips and she realized that it was because of her lie. She had been taught not to lie because the truth would be revealed in the end and she would have to face the unpleasant consequences of her bad behaviour which was something she had always feared. But this evening she lied and she didn't regret it at all.

Before they entered the dining room, Aileen had tugged at a sleeve of Dorian's suit. "What is it you've got for me?"

"Ah! Of course." Dorian merrily grinned down at the girl's ever present curiosity and reached inside the pocket of his black velvet jacket.

Aileen watched his every move, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and excitement. Sibyl was still holding her hand and she let out a soft giggle when she noticed how elated Aileen was.

Dorian pulled out a small box and lowered himself to the girl's level as he always did. He opened it for her and revealed a beautiful golden medallion which contained two letters entangled together.

"Dorian, it's splendid!" Aileen couldn't take her eyes off of the piece of jewellery.

"I'm glad you like it. It was Sibyl's idea, actually." Dorian admitted with a loving glance at his beloved girlfriend. "See? It reads A. D. - Aileen Dunlow."

The girl spent another moment gazing at the two letters. "Or it can be Aileen and Dorian." she said rather absentmindedly. Yes, she liked that better.

"Yes, or even that." Dorian chuckled and rised up to his full height.

Sibyl kept on smiling happily, Aileen's positive reaction had warmed her heart and she felt very content with the fact she could bring the little girl so much joy. She loved the child dearly, seeing her as a younger sister. "Now let's go to eat before the meal grows cold."


End file.
